Guiding means



8, 1946. c. w. BURCKY 2,409,102

eumm mans Fil'ed Jan. 29,1945

FIG. 2

INVENTOR CHARLES w. suRcKY ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1946 GUIDING MEANS Charles W. Burcky, Park Ridge, 111., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application January 29, 1945, Serial No. 575,131

3 Claims.

This invention pertains to printing apparatus and more particularly to paper controlling instrumentalities therefor.

The principal object of the present invention is to prOVide in a recording machine, features which are conducive to reliable and efficient operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining the sides of a paper chute in proper alignment with respect to the normal path of the web of paper to preclude a binding action from developing between the paper and the sides of the chute, and to insure that the web approaches the platen in proper alignment.

The present invention features novel controlling devices which facilitate the handling and disposal of record material for printing machines. Briefly, the printer to which the device according to the present invention, is applicable is adapted to print upon page width paper which may be in the form of av continuous web. The invention contemplates a page printer having a paper guide plate provided with paper retaining means, said plate having spaced tongues on the foremost edge thereof which are adapted to cooperate with corresponding slots provided in the printer frame, and spring hold-down means for said plate, said spring means comprising a pair of flat springs pivotally mounted on the printer frame and adapted to cooperate with a pair of projections on said plate to hold down the plate and at the same time to be conveniently pivoted away from the edges of said plate to render said plate readily removable.

The foregoing objects and features of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the platen carriage showing particularly the paper chute and retaining means therefor, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the platen carriage, taken approximately on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the manner of mounting the device according to the invention.

Having reference to the drawing, the platen carriage mechanism to which the paper guiding and controlling instrumentalities of the present invention are applicable is indicated generally as H, and is of the type shown in U. S. Patent 2,296,874, granted September 29, 1942, to A. H. Reiber. A platen I2 is rotatably mounted in end plates l3 of carriage H. The carriage H is supported on rails l4 and I5 at the top of the main frame member [6 of the printer. Anti-friction balls H are disposed between the carriage H and the rails l4 and I5, and provide free movement of the carriage with respect to its supporting rails. As is well known, the rotatable platen I2 is provided with a feed ratchet (not shown) with which there cooperates a feed pawl (not shown) for advancing the paper.

As shown in the aforementioned patent, carriage H supports an arcuate paper guiding plate (not shown) which extends around the lower portion of the platen l2 and conforms to the contour thereof. The arcuate plate is provided with bearing members in which are supported a shaft 18. The shaft i8 has mounted thereon pressure rollers It (only one of which is shown) and the arcuate paper guiding plate is provided with apertures in registry with the pressure rolls 19 to permit the rolls to frictionally engage the platen when no paper is inserted in the carriage, and to frictionally engage paper upon which characters are to be printed.

The end plates I3 are provided with means for supporting a paper tear-off blade 2| and a paper guiding plate 22. Blade 2| and plate 22 are spaced apart a predetermined distance, whereby there is provided a space through which may be guided paper passing upwardly from the platen after having been fed between the platen l2 and the arcuate guide plate that carries pressure rollers IS. The lower edge of the guide plate 22 is disposed in close proximity to the platen l2, and the plate functions after the manner of a stripper to guide the paper away from the platen. Suitable guide fingers (not shown) are mounted on tear-off blade 2|, the fingers of which extend downwardly and overlap the arcuate plate so that paper emerging from between the platen and arcuate plate is guided to the passage or space between tear-oif blade 2| and guide'plate 22.

As indicated above, it may be desired to supply paper in the form of a web which is not supported on the carriage but which is stationarily mounted upon any suitable support behind the carriage. To achieve this result, the present invention provides a guide member and means for supporting said guide member. The carriage H has secured thereto and extending across the rear thereof a convexly formed plate 23 in which are formed spaced slots 24 near the rearmost edge thereof. A guide plate 25 is provided at the foremost edge thereof with tongues 25 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the slots 24 in the convex plate 23, each tongue being offset as shown in Fig. 2.

The guide plate or paper chute 25 is provided 3 along its ends with paper guiding and retaining means, comprising retaining members 28 secured to the plate 25 by bolts 29. Also adapted to be secured by bolts 29 are a pair of bars 3|, one at each end of plate 25 and each provided with a sidewardly extending lug 32. Secured to the carriage I! adjacent the sides of the plate 25 are a pair of brackets 33. A spring hold-down clamp 34 is pivotally connected to each bracket 33 in such a manner that the free end of each spring is adapted to cooperate with the lug orprojection 32 extending sidewardly from the bars 3|. The lugs or projections 32 ar further provided with vertical flanges 21 which cooperate with the ends of the respective springs 34, the purpose of which is to obviate the possibility of plate 25 being accidentally dislodged or dislocated by being struck on the bottom edge thereof. Accordingly, slotted holes are provided in bars SI for bolts 129 so that, with bolts 25 loosened and springs 34 in their operative (solid line) position, bars 3i are held with their flanges tightly against the free ends of springs 34, and plate 25 is urged in the opposite direction to bring tongues 26 against the lower edges of their slots 24, where- 'by, when bolts 29 are tightened, plate 25 will be held securely against dislocation. With this construction the spring clamps 3:! are adapted to be swung toward and away from their associated lugs 32 to permit the ready removal of the chute 25. In Fig. 1 the released position of spring 34 is illustrated by the dotted position 31.

In Fig. 2 the chute 25 is shown in a dotted position 35 preparatory to detachment, and the spring clamp 34 is shown dotted in its unflexed position 36. Fig. 2 also shows spring 34 in its flexed position.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it will be understood that all modifications are contemplated which come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What i claimed is:

1. In a printing apparatus, a stationary frame, a platen carriage movable upon said frame for character spacing, a convex apron at the rear of said carriage having a set of slots near the rearmost edge thereof, a paper guiding chute having ears insertable into said slots for supporting said chute to extend obliquely downwardly 4 from said apron, a pair of fiat spring hold-down clamps pivotally attached to said carriage, one adjacent each edge of said chute, cooperating lugs on said chute, whereby said clamps are adapted to be superimposed upon said lugs to retain said chute and to be swung clear of said lugs to render said chute readily detachable, and means on said chute coactive with the extremities of said clamps to obviate disalignment of said chute with respect to the paper.

2. In a recorder, a stationary frame, a platen carriage supported upon said frame, a convex apron at the rear of said carriage comprising a downwardly and rearwardly directed portion, said apron having apertures in said portion, a paper guiding chute having projections insertable into said apertures for supporting said chute to extend said chute obliquely downwardly from said apron, resilient instrumentalities pivotally attached to said carriage, one adjacent to each edg of said chute, cooperating elements on said chute, whereby said instrumentalities are adapted to be superimposed upon said elements to retain said chute and to be pivoted clear of said elements to render said chute readily detachable, and means on said cooperating elements coactive with the extremities of said resilient; instrumentalities to obviate disalignment of said chute with respect to the paper.

3. In a recorder, a stationary frame, a platen carriage supported upon said frame, a convex apron at the rear of said carriage comprising a downwardly and rearwardly directed portion, said apron having apertures in said portion, a paper guiding chute having projections insertable into said apertures for supporting said chute to extend said chute obliquely downwardly from said apron, resilient instrumentalities pivotally attached to said carriage, one adjacent to each edge of said chute, elements on said chute cooperative With said instrumentalities whereby said instrumentalities are adapted to be superimposed upon said elements to retain said chute and to be pivoted clear of said elements to render said chute readily detachable, said elements having adjusting facilities, and means integral with said elements and effective in cooperation with said adjusting facilities and said apertures to secure said paper chute against dislocation.

CHARLES W. BUR/CKY. 

